Why is King Tut Famous?

King Tutankhamen was one of the most inconspicuous Pharaohs in the history of Egypt. His fame comes from his being one of the most intact graves of a Pharaoh ever found giving an amazing insight into the religion, wealth, and culture of the ancient Egyptians.

King Tut was only 9 when he assumed the throne, and died ten years later at the age of 19. His small significance stems from the rejection of his father and predecessor’s extreme religious and cultural paradigm shift during his reign, reverting back to the more traditional methods of worship, and earning himself a cult-like following because of this. His father’s radical changes to the Egyptian culture caused an uproar of political hatred, which was much alleviated by Tut’s decision to restore it to normalcy. Of course, as he was so young, it was more likely the decision of his advisor to do so, as Tut would not really have much of a grasp of the cultural and political significance at the time.

King Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. It was discovered by Howard Carter, and the discovery was one of the most exciting moments in Egyptian archaeology, as his tomb almost completely intact. His burial mask is quite symbolic now, a common picture that represents one of the most valuable discoveries ever, both in wealth and knowledge.

His tomb was most likely forgotten because he was a Pharaoh of such little significance. There is evidence that his tomb was robbed twice, but only more perishable items were taken, such as oils. Other than that, his tomb was mostly left undisturbed, and it was forgotten. There were huts built over it by workers, clearly not knowing what was underneath the sands. The entrances was likely buried under rubble, and at the end of the 20th dynasty, was not dismantled systematically like the rest of the Valley of the Kings because it simply had been overlooked and forgotten.